In the extraction of crude oil from underground oil bearing formations, water is often mixed with the extracted oil due to naturally occurring underground water or due to injected water from secondary recovery operations. The oil must be separated from the water so that the oil can be transported off the well site. To separate the oil from the water, holding tanks are set up at the well site and the oil floats to the top. Further, various vapors including oil vapor and/or natural gas separate from the oil and gas mixture and float above the oil inside the holding tank, causing a potential combustible situation. As the level between the oil and water and vapor and oil fluctuates within the holding tank depending on the relative concentrations of water, oil and vapor being extracted from the well, a height adjustable device containing siphons to remove the separated, water, oil and vapors is necessary to compensate for the fluctuating levels. Since oil and vapors such as methane found in these tanks, fires are a concern and can do substantial damage when they arise. Additionally, the release of these vapors from the often open-air vented tanks may be environmentally hazardous.
When a fire does break out or is likely to break out, it is difficult for fire or rescue crews to address the area inside the tank. By the time a crew can get to the area of the fire, a significant amount of damage has been done either by the fire or by destroying equipment to get to the fire. What is needed is a fire containment system that addresses the inside of the tank area that can be economically provided without significantly increasing the complexity and efficiency of the tank operation.